Latest Armyworm Forecast (January 2021)
Synopsis
Fall Armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda): FAW was reported attacking maize, sorghum and/or millet in Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi and Zambia.
African Armyworm (AAW) (Spodoptera exempta): AAW outbreaks were reported attacking maize and rice in several districts of Mozambique.
Current situation
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW outbreaks were reported in all 28 districts in Malawi with Nsanje, Chikwawa, Neno, Mulanje, Machinga and Baraka districts most affected. The pest was reported attacking mainly maize, sorghum and millet and control operations were carried out by the affected farmers with technical and material assistance from the MinAgri, Irrigation and Water Development. A total area of 96 280 ha was reported sprayed with using 9,211 lt of pesticides. In Mozambique, outbreaks were reported in maize and rice in several districts in Dondo (40 ha Maize and 55 ha Rice), Nhamatanda (73.5 ha Maize), Buzi (12 ha Maize and 35 ha Rice) districts of Sofala Province. Control was carried out by the affected farmers with technical and material (pesticides) from the MinAgri. In Zambia, widespread FAW outbreaks were reported in all 10 Provinces – Eastern, Central, Luapula, Lusaka, Muchinga, North Western, Southern, Western, Northern and Copper belt Provinces. The pest was reported attacking maize and control was carried out by the affected farmers with technical and materials support from the MinAgri and was in progress at the time this Bulletin was compiled. In Tanzania, FAW outbreaks were reported in Dodoma municipal, Manyoni and Kilindi districts where MinAgri distributed pesticide supplies to the affected districts. In Kenya, FAW reports were received from Makueni, Trans Noia, West Pokot, Bungoma, Machakos, Homabay and Tharaka/Nithi Counties. MinAgri provided pesticides to the affected countries and control operations were launched by the affected farmers (IRLCO-CSA). In a recently released FAO Newsletter on FAW Control, neem was mentioned as an effective means of controlling FAW [larvae] in Ethiopia (BHA/TPQ, FAO-FAW).
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW outbreaks were reported attacking maize and rice in Dondo, Nhamatanda and Buzi districts of Mozambique (IRLCO-CSA).
Forecasts (for the next 6 weeks)
Fall armyworm (FAW)
FAW is likely to continue affecting rain-fed and/or irrigated maize and other cereal crops across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Pacific Regions and elsewhere during the forecast period. Active monitoring, surveillance, reporting and timely actions remain critical to abate significant crop damage (BHA/TPQ).
African Armyworm (AAW)
AAW will likely continue in parts of Mozambique during the forecast period. (BHA/TPQ).
Acknowledgements This forecast is published by Lancaster University’s Armyworm Network: http://www.armyworm.org/. It is an extract from the Emergency Transboundary Outbreak Pest (ETOP) situation report compiled by USAID/OFDA/PSPM. They monitor ETOPs regularly in close collaboration with their network of national PPDs/DPVs, regional and international pest monitoring and/or control entities, including FAO, CLCPRO, CRC, DLCO-EA, and IRLCO-CSA, as well as Agency partners, and NGOs and provides timely analytical bulletins and reports to stakeholders across the globe. For dated, archived ETOP SITREPs, please, go to: https://www.usaid.gov/what-wedo/working-crises-andconflict/responding-times-crisis/how-wedo-it/humanitarian-sectors/agricultureand-food-security/pest-and-pesticidemonitoring/archive
